Monday, December 8, 2008

My love for the no-knead method has now been extended to my pizza dough recipe. You know the saying, "if it's not broken, don't fix it?" Well, when it comes to my pizza dough I'm glad I ignored that chestnut.

My pizza dough recipe wasn't broken, but I fixed it anyway, and am very glad I did. As I expected, the magic that is no-knead bread, adapted beautifully to this purpose.

After one day, and almost no effort, I had enough soft, and supple dough for 2 regular, or 4 small pizzas. As you see in the video recipe, I ended up making a "white" garlic pizza, which was one of my childhood favorites as prepared by my grandmother.

This pizza, made from not much more than garlic, olive oil, and cheese, really shows off the character of the dough. Give this dough a try, and maybe even give white pizza a spin. Enjoy!

I somehow managed to read the title as "No-Knead Mafia Makes Previously Posted Pizza Dough a Dinosaur" - I was thinking - the no-knead people have a mafia?! They killed the other dough, thereby making it extinct like the dinosaurs??

That being said - so excited about this. On so many levels. I've made the other dough, and while SO good, a bit time consuming in comparison. I can't wait to give this a shot!

Chef John, you should also try "Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day." I don't think the results are QUITE as spectacular, but they are really close, and far more convenient.

Basically the book uses a similar recipe to make about 4-5 pounds of dough at a time. The dough is then wet enough to be refrigerated with no ill effects. Actually, it gets more flavorful over the next few days. It's very similar to this recipe but a bit more flexible.

You can get the whole thing on google books too! I like the olive oil dough for pizza :)

hey chef john.this looks like a great easy recipe.on the other hand, i'd really like to know how the dough in restaurants is made...could you maybe someday show us how to make the no-shortcuts-allowed-real-deal-pizza dough? have you ever worked in an italian restaurant?

i've checked the previous recipe you mentionned, is that how the pros do it?

Question: Do you have a gas oven? I noticed you cook several things on the floor of your oven. What do you recommend instead for us who have electric ovens and thus an element on the floor?Luisa Vacaville

Made it tonight, it was excellent! Although it didn't stick on my non-stick cookie sheet. Btw, how long can you keep the unused portion for? will it keep rising in the plastic bag? does it spoil quickly?

I do have a pizza "stone" clay flat given to me by a potter friend. I also have some unglazed tiles that I used to use in a roll pan. I'll put either of these on the lowest rack. Thanks!Luisa Vacaville

Hey? Chef John? Why don't you have a pizza only section? I was looking for ideas on pizza, and I have to go through large parts of your archive just to find a couple. Can you do something for a dedicated fan? Thanks.

This was the best pizza dough I've made in over 30 years of pizza making. My family raved and I'm never going back to kneading dough again.I posted some pics of my efforts here: http://fishesandloaves.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/about-that-no-knead-pizza-dough/

Also see the original post (before the pizza was finished.) here: http://fishesandloaves.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/the-12-hour-pizza-or-chef-johns-no-knead-pizza-dough/

actually that would be trying to type from memory on the AF site! I changed them, although to be honest I usually just pour in some oil so it could be 3. The American Food version only has AP flour to make it a little easier for folks - not as many hardcore foodies as there are here. ;)

I got the dough even crispier by rolling out, then poking a bunch of holes in it with a fork. I then threw it into the oven for 3 min, flipped it, let it go another 3 min, then took it out, topped it with regular stuff, and threw it back in for another 6 to 7 min. came out noticeably crispier.

what a pizza crust recipe. I have tried about 10 so far and none of them have given me what I wanted until this one. Also, I made a deli pizza a few times, used mayo for sauce and mustard then added deli meats and when it came out topped with small slices of cold kosher dills and everyone loves it!

I've been wanting to try this out for ages, and finally did it today with spectacular results! I was serving this for dinner but didn't want to wake up at 6am to make the dough, so made it the night before. Also, I used wholemeal instead of wheat flour and probably didn't use enough flour when rolling these out because they were incredibly sticky and difficult to handle without tearing... But no worries, I used cornmeal, put the toppings on, followed your instructions for putting the sheet at the bottom of the oven first before moving it to the middle, and bingo, perfect results every time!

I have become used to weighing my flour using a small kitchen scale instead of measuring it. Does it really matter for this type of recipe? How many grams or ounces would you consider a cup of flour in this recipe?

This dough makes fantastic pizza. But the best thing is you can make it in the morning before you leave for work or school and come back and it ready. I really appreciate this recipe as a busy student that loves great food!

Dude your pizza recipe rules! I havn't tried the no Knead Dough, but I plan on making it tonight. Then making pizza tomarrow. I do have a question. One thing that I loved about your original recipe was that i didn't need to over flour the dough before I baked it. I really don't like haveing a mouth full of loose flour after each bit. Since I'll have to use a flour before baking will this be an issue? And if so is there a way to slove this? Thanks man!

the flour will cook in the oven, so im not sure what you mean exactly. Once the dough is made, the two recipes are the same for making the pizza. The no- knead is much stickier and softer of a dough, so you need flour to help form the pizza.

Hey Chef John- If I were to use a much higher wheat flour : AP flour ratio (or 100% wheat flour) do you think it would radically change the flavor and texture profiles of this dough to the point that it wouldn't be good? I'm trying to adjust to a diabetes-friendly eating style... Thanks!

I made the no knead pizza two days ago, with some roasted then smashed plum tomatoes and Provalone cheese. It was very nice, my first successful at home pizza! But I only used half the dough. Last night I took one of the remaining quarters of dough from the fridge, let it come up to room temp then rolled it out in to a square about 8 x 10, then cut it into 8 strips, brushed with egg wash and sprinkled either sesame seeds or poppy seeds on the strips placed on a baking pan about 2" apart, then baked using the pizza instructions though keeping a careful watch time wise. I ended up with some very tasty, nicely chewy breadsticks for dinner that night to go with a garden grown salad. Thanks for this recipe!

So, I tried this recipe last night and it didn't come out at all this morning (didn't rise and the dough stayed incredibly sticky no matter how much extra flour I added) :( Not happy. But I want to try again - - is it ok to let the dough rise/sit for 6 hours instead of 12? I want to make pizza tonight with the family and we have limited time . . . suggestions?

Wow, Chef John....thanks so much for your incredible teaching videos. I have always wanted to make home made bread but have a neuromuscular disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 3. Well, it means that I was born with it and my muscles have slowly weakened throughout my 44 years and I can't lift my arms at all or walk. No big deal because knew what was coming and my hands work enough so I can do what I love, to draw and make jewelry. It used to be baking and cooking too but my husband who also uses a wheelchair full time who has "normal" muscles has taken on the cooking duties under my direction (mostly).

We just had a blast trying your no- knead bread and now pizza and bread dough and setting off our screeching smoke detector because there was too much cornmeal in our 550 degree oven for the pizza dough!! I was happy to know the alarm works!Can't hear anything right now, but it works!!

Anyhoo, even when I was stronger, I was never ever able to make bread due to the strength needed for kneading! I was a home- Ec major in high school, loved sewing and cooking.

...so to discover a no knead possibility was a blessing you can't imagine. Last week when I first saw your no knead recipe and discovered your blog (I am addicted to your cooking videos by the way) was so excited I told my husband to by giant jrs of yeast, bags of flour and last Friday, I made the Ciabatta bread recipe, BY MYSELF!!!

it was so easy I could even stir the dough batter myself! No husbandry assistance except to get it on the pan and put it in the oven and such! I even played with the recipe by throwing in ground and whole flax and this week I added more flax and some olive oil and more whole wheat. It has to rise for one more hour, but if I remember, and it works, I will photograph it and send you my flax whole wheat version!!

Thank you again, I love the way you talk and explain things and for introducing me to the most rewarding cooking experience I have ever had. Me, able to make bread and pizza dough!! ..watch of kneadless world, here I come.

You said to leave it in the oven for the 12 hrs. Is this because you have a gas oven and its always warm? - and if I have an electric oven, could I just leave the light on to get the same "warming" effect?